Sunday, 17 February 2013

My Book Haul /Showcase Sundays

This week I managed to race through Scarecrow and the Army of Thieves by Matthew Reilly (completely nonsensical but so much fun!) and then strolled through some of Philip Pullman's Grimm Tales - haven't finished yet but hope to in the next week or two. I also enjoyed a unique apocalypse with Black Feathers by James D'Lancy and a visit to Amsterdam in Through Dark Eyes by Chris Priestley. So that's three books down!

I went a little request crazy on Netgalley this week and got two new books to add to my must read list! Plus one special offer on kindle I couldn't resist! So all balanced this week!

For Review

Weird Detectives - Edited by Paula Guran

Publisher: Prime Books

Paranormal investigators. Occult detectives. Ghost hunters. Monster fighters. Humans who unravel uncanny crimes and solve psychic puzzles; sleuths with supernatural powers of their own who provide services far beyond those normal gumshoes, shamuses, and Sherlocks can. When vampires, werewolves, and things that go "bump" in the night are part of your world, criminals can be as inhuman as the crimes they commit, and magic can seep into the mundane - those who solve the mysteries, bring justice, or even save the world itself, might utter spells, wield wands as well as firearms, or simply use their powers of deduction. Some of the best tales of the last decade from top authors of the 21st century's most popular genres take you down mean streets and into strange crime scenes in this fantastic compilation.

There are a fantastic selection of authors in this anthology including my favourites Carrie Vaughn, Patricia Briggs, Jim Butcher, Neil Gaiman, Faith Hunter, Johnathan Maberry and others so how could I resist...?

The Boleyn King - Laura Andersen

Publisher: Ballantine Books

What if Anne did not miscarry her son in January 1536, but instead gave birth to a healthy royal boy? Henry IX, known as William, is a 17-year-old king struggling at the restraints of the regency and anxious to prove himself. With the French threatening battle and the Catholics plotting at home, Will trusts only three people: his older sister, Elizabeth; his best friend and loyal counselor, Dominic; and Minuette, a young orphan raised as a royal ward by Anne Boleyn. Against an undercurrent of secret documents, conflicting intelligence operations, and private murder, William fights a foreign war and domestic rebellion with equal resolve. But when he and Dominic both fall in love with Minuette, romantic obsession menaces a new generation of Tudors. Battlefields and council chambers, trials and executions, the blindness of first love and the betrayal of true friendship...How far will William go to get what he wants? Who will pay the price for a king's revenge? And what twists of fate will set Elizabeth on the path to her destiny as England's queen?

I like my historical Tudor books and the idea that Anne Boleyn actually gave Henry a son is a fascinating angle that I haven't read yet!

Bought

Boneshaker - Cherie Priest

Publisher: Tor

Boneshaker derives its title from the Bone-Shaking Drill Engine, a device designed to give Russian prospectors a leg up in the race for Klondike gold. Unfortunately, there was one hitch: On its trial run, the Boneshaker went haywire and, long story short, turned much of Seattle into a city of the dead. Now, 16 years later, a teenage boy decides to find out what is behind that mysterious wall. Can his mother save him in time?

The kindle version of this was reduced to £0.74 this week - I couldn't resist the chance to get my hands on a zombie crossed with steampunk novel!

8 comments:

The Boleyn King sounds like a good read, I love these kind of historical adaptations but never seem to have the time to read them anymore. Have you read The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory? that's one of my all time favs.

YAAAAAY! I loved Boneshaker, Mel!!! Can't believe that kindle offer! I really hope you enjoy all your books and will be looking forward to your review of Black Feathers! :) I was really looking at Weird Detectives but I really don't like reading novellas despite great authors, so I let it go...